US3984177A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Articles employing photochromic materials
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1975-12-29
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Granted: 1976-10-05
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Expires: 1995-12-29
Abstract
Abstract Articles are described which utilize a unique photochemical property of a certain class of heterocyclic compounds. These heterocyclic compounds are the mono- and bicyclic aziridines. Oriented crystals of these heterocyclic compounds are photochromic in an unusual way. The effect of the excitation radiation and the strength of the resulting absorption band responsible for the appearance of color depend on the polarization of the radiation. These articles contain at least one optically smooth surface. Typical articles are windshields or glass panes which darken on being exposed to glare and sunglasses. Switching devices are also described which exist in two states; one state characterized by absorption of certain radiation over wavelength range and the other state by high transparency.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony Marion Trozzolo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 22:59
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/20; G02B5/22; G02B5/23; G02C; G02C7/00; G02C7/10; G02C7/102; G03; G03C; G03C1/00; G03C1/72; G03C1/73; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S430/00; Y10S430/163
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
An optically sensitive article which includes at least one element containing photochromic material in which said article changes absorption characteristics at a wavelength range of a first radiation on exposure to a second radiation of a given wavelength range characterized in that the photochromic material is at least partially crystalline and partially crystallographically oriented and contained in an amorphous medium stress distorted to partially align the crystals of photochromic material in which the photochromic material consists essentially of cyclic oxirane compound with up to three cyclic rings which in one form can be represented by atomic formula selected from the group consisting of ##EQU1## and ##EQU2## in which at least two of the groups R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are aromatic, remainder alkyl or hydrogen, R 11 is aromatic or alkyl and R 10 selected from the group consisting of an aromatic group, carboxylic acid group, ester group and amide group wih R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 having up to 20 carbon atoms so that the change in the said absorption characteristic produced by the said second radiation is relatively large for one plane of polarization of the second radiation and the change in the said absorption characteristic is more pronounced for one plane of polarization of the first radiation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
An optically sensitive article which includes at least one element containing photochromic material in which said article changes absorption characteristics at a wavelength range of a first radiation on exposure to a second radiation of a given wavelength range characterized in that the photochromic material is at least partially crystalline and partially crystallographically oriented and contained in an amorphous medium stress distorted to partially align the crystals of photochromic material in which the photochromic material consists essentially of cyclic oxirane compound with up to three cyclic rings which in one form can be represented by atomic formula selected from the group consisting of ##EQU1## and ##EQU2## in which at least two of the groups R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are aromatic, remainder alkyl or hydrogen, R 11 is aromatic or alkyl and R 10 selected from the group consisting of an aromatic group, carboxylic acid group, ester group and amide group wih R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 having up to 20 carbon atoms so that the change in the said absorption characteristic produced by the said second radiation is relatively large for one plane of polarization of the second radiation and the change in the said absorption characteristic is more pronounced for one plane of polarization of the first radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 1 in which the wavelength range of the first radiation and the wavelength range of the second radiation overlap.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The article of claim 1 in which the element is attached to a glass sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article of claim 1 in which the element is sandwiched between glass sheets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of claim 1 in which the article has at least two elements connected by a bridge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of claim 1 in which the article is in the form of a light switching device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article of claim 12 which includes a light source and a light detector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article of claim 14 in which the amorphous medium is organic polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
214 words
The article of claim 1 in which the photochromic material consists essentially of a mixture of cyclic aziridine and oxirane compound with up to three cyclic rings which in one form can be represented by atomic formula selected from the group consisting of ##EQU3## and ##EQU4## in which R 1 and R 2 are aromatic substituents with up to three rings, R 3 is a substituted benzyl group where the substituent is hydrogen, R 4 and R 5 are hydrogen or alkyl groups with up to 5 carbons, n is from 1 to 5, at least two of the groups R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are aromatic, remainder alkyl or hydrogen, R 11 is aromatic or alkyl and R 10 selected from the group consisting of an aromatic group, carboxylic acid group, ester group and amide group with R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 having up to twenty carbon atoms so that the change in the said absorption characteristic produced by the said second radiation is relatively large for one plane of polarization of the second radiation and the change in the said absorption characteristic is more pronounced for one plane of polarization of the first radiation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The aticle of claim 1 in which R 1 has electron-withdrawing substituents selected from the group consisting of nitro and halogen groups and R 2 has electron-donating substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy group and alkyl-substituted amino group with the alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of claim 2 in which the substituents are in the ortho and para positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The article of claim 1 in which R 1 has electron-donating substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy group and alkyl-subsituted amino group with the alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms and R 2 has electron-withdrawing substituents selected from the group consisting of nitro and halogen groups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of claim 4 in which the substituents are in the ortho and para positions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The article of claim 1 in which the benzyl group has an electron-donating substituent on the aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of alkoxy group and alkyl-substituted amino group with the alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article of claim 6 in which the substituent is in the ortho or para position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-10-05 | 1980-04-05 | 1980-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-05 | 1984-04-05 | 1984-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-05 | 1988-04-05 | 1988-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |